A Quiet Conversation
by Pharaoh Rutin Tutin
Summary: Dr. James Possible is talking to some of the most important people in his life.


A Quiet Conversation

Dr. James Possible is talking to some of the most important people in his life.

A Kim Possible Fan Fic by the Pharaoh Rutin Tutin

Kim Possible and all related characters copyright © Disney.

This is a work of Fan Fiction. I receive no compensation for this story.

Please do not edit, sell, repost, or redistribute without my permission.

- - - - -

It was an unusually warm afternoon. But that wasn't why he was sweating as if he were in a sauna.

Ron Stoppable was walking the familiar streets of Middleton, alone. The hairless rodent who had been his constant companion for years was back in Ron's room with Everlot and two quesadilla combos from Bueno Nacho. Grande sized, of course. He would be fine for a few hours.

Ron's other constant companion, Kim Possible, was at that moment in a place no man should ever dare to enter. All the shoe stores at the Middleton Mall were having a sale that day. Every female resident of the Tri-City area from nine to ninety was at that mall. Like many other men, Ron at one time thought that such an event would be a great place to meet the _La-deeze_. Like many other men, Ron quickly realized that when women are shoe hunting, men serve only two purposes. Sell the shoes and carry the boxes.

No, for today's mission, Ron had to approach his target alone.

After a quick knock, Ron looked up to see a man he had known almost his entire life. When all the talking was done today, that man would hold Ron's entire life in the palm of his hand.

"Hello Ronald, Kim's not home right now."

"I know, Mr. Dr. P., I need to talk to you."

"Come in. Would you like some lunch? I was just about to have a cold brainloaf sandwich."

Dr. James Possible looked at the young man sitting across the kitchen table. He had first met Ronald Stoppable shortly after his daughter met him almost 14 years ago. In that time, he had seen this boy almost every day. He honestly believed that he knew Ron as well as his own father did. In all that time, he could easily count all the times that Ron was not in some way being, or at least playing the part, of the goofball. In almost every one of those incidents, something was terribly wrong with Kim. The blonde teen at his table today was in no way a goofball. This could be very bad.

Both men sat in silence for a few minutes, barely touching their sandwiches. Ron opened a bottle of water, took a long drink, looked the rocket scientist in the eye and with audible fear, began to speak.

"Dr. Possible, may I be completely honest?"

The older man nodded.

"I'm sure you know that your daughter turns 18 this week."

"I think she's mentioned it once or twice."

With a sigh, Ron began scratching the back of his neck. "Doctor, if Kim asked my parents what I'm about to ask you and they said no, I'd leave them. Not without regret. But she means so much more to me than any blood relative that my choice would be obvious."

"Kim, however, loves you and the rest of your family too much to ever willingly make that decision. I could not ask her to choose between me and you. Therefore, when I'm done, if you say no I'll leave and you can tell Kim anything you want about me."

"Ronald, if you're asking to..."

Ron interrupted, "I'll accept any decision you make. But please just hear me out fully first."

Dr. Possible nodded, and Ron continued.

"I'm not in a rush, and I don't want to pressure her. But it would be unfair to her and you for me to ask this of her without asking you first. If I were to ask her right now, I know what I hope her answer will be. But if you disagreed after that point, we would be in that painful, awkward situation I described earlier. That would hurt Kim a lot and I can't do that to her."

"Therefore, Dr. James Timothy Possible, I seek your permission to ask your daughter, Kimberly Anne, to become my wife."

"Ronald, you're a good man. But I do have concerns, and I will talk to my wife before making a final decision."

"I understand."

"Are you ready to answer a few questions of mine?"

"Of course."

"Have you had sex with my daughter?"

Ron thought that the rocket scientist just launched an ICBM.

"No sir."

"Have you _tried_ to have sex with my daughter?"

"No" Ron stated with guilt and fear, even though the answer was completely honest.

"And has Kim tried to have sex with you?"

"Dr. Possible, I may be a little clueless and forgetful at times, but I think I would notice and remember if KP ever tried THAT! No, she hasn't tried to have sex with me."

"How soon do you want to get married?"

"I'm thinking when Kim and I finish our Bachelors degrees."

"If the wedding isn't for over four years, why get engaged now?"

"Like I said earlier, if I place the question and you object, that will hurt Kim, and I want to avoid that."

"So you haven't discussed this with her yet?"

"Only in the most general, hypothetical terms. We made ourselves miserable throughout most of high school by not admitting our real feelings for each other. Never again. I want to talk to her about everything from cocktail wieners at the reception to college funds for the grandkids. Religion. Careers. Home. How do we raise the children? Everything has to be open to discussion if we'll ever make it work. I can't begin to be honest about all that unless I can tell her flatly that I love her and will do anything to spend the rest of my life with her. And once I bring that up directly, we're back in the same situation as before, if you object."

"Have you bought a ring?"

Ron reached into his pocket and put something into Dr. Possible's hand.

The velvet box in James Possible's hand was much to large for one ring. When he opened it, he found three rings. Two were elegantly understated gold bands, identical to each other except for their sizes. The third was a more ornate gold band, with a delicate setting of small emeralds and rubies surrounding a classically cut blue-white diamond. That particular chunk of carbon was the second largest diamond James Possible ever saw outside a museum..

"After receiving my Naco royalties, as you know, I went on a spending binge that was only cut off when your old classmate relieved me of that burden. Before that happened, I made a few purchases without the aid of my 'Posse'. Even then I hoped that someday I would ask Kim. So I bought this set."

Using his reading glasses like a jeweler's loupe, the elder man examined the set and asked "How much?"

"At the time, retail, a little over five hundred thousand."

"H-H-Half-a-a-a-mil-il-il..." the Rocket scientist stammered.

Composing himself, James Possible said "Ronald, if you were to sell this set, you could put yourself through college and have a good down payment for your first home."

"I know, but it isn't mine to sell. These belong to Kim. I just haven't given them to her yet."

"And in spite of what I said about choosing Kim over my parents earlier, I've already told them. I'm incredibly happy that they accept and love her. They already think of her as their own daughter. I only hope that someday, you will think of me the same way."

James Possible was struggling with his face to prevent a grin, "You want me to think of you as my daughter?"

"Yes. NO. I mean... What? That is..."

"Ronald, Ron, relax, you've answered most of my concerns. I still want to talk to Anne before making a final decision."

"Of course."

"Ron,"

"Yes sir?"

"Ok, you know Kim has a big party planned for her 18th birthday. Actually, between her and her mother, I think they intend to make it the social event of the year."

"That's her natural Kimmness again. She just has to out do Bonnie's last party."

"I hope Bonnie doesn't get married first. I'd hate to pay for a bigger wedding just to show up her high school rivals."

Chuckles all around, then James Possible spoke up again.

"The night before her big party, the whole family will be going out for a nice, private dinner. Could you join us? Anne and I will let you know our answers then."

"Of course, Mr. Dr. P."

Now the front door opens, and Kim walks in carrying stacks of shoe boxes taller than she is.

"Hi K.P."

Kim dropped her boxes, kissed him on the cheek, and asked "So what's the Ronster doing here today?"

"Just leaving actually. I had to ask you dad something."

"By the way, Kimmie-Cub, I invited Ron to join the family at the dinner before your birthday. Is that alright with you?"

"Of course it is."

"See ya then K.P."

"Later Ron, love you."

"Love you too, K.P., Bye."

As the door closes, Kim turns to her father and sighs, "Daddy, I have some questions about boys."

"Boys in general, or a particular boy?"

"Ron"

"What's wrong?"

"Lately, I think he's been holding something from me, almost like he's scared. I really think he's trying to avoid the whole discussion of our future. What's wrong? Am I moving to fast? Am I completely wrong about what Ron feels for me? Daddy, I know he's the one. How do I let him know?"

James Possible gave a small smile, leaned back, and thought "well, that answers the rest of my concerns."

Then he answered, "Don't worry Kimmie. Let me talk it over with your mother and see what she has to say."

- - - - -

Later that evening.

"Kimmie-Cub, Ronald's here and the helicopter's landing!"

"Be right down, Dad!"

"So Ronald, what's the mission tonight?"

"Odd storms on the Great Lakes. RCMP thinks Draken got his little blue hands on another weather generator. Looks like another trip to Canada."

Ruffus pops his head out of Ron's pocket and adds "Eh."

"By the way Ron, you left something over here earlier."

James Possible began to pull the velvet box from his pocket, but Ron stopped him.

"Have you and Mrs. Dr. P. made a decision yet?"

"No, she just got home a few minutes ago."

"Then hold on to it for now. Why not return it when you make up your mind? Besides, I'd hate to lose it on a mission."

"To listen to Kim tell it, you seem to 'lose it' about every other mission."

Kim comes down the stairs with a stack of papers fresh from her fax.

"Joe is insisting on radio silence for this mission Ron."

"Joe? The high school janitor who was actually a Canadian spy?"

"That's him, so Wade faxed over all the info he had on the sitch now. We'll coordinate with Joe when we reach Kingston."

"All Right K.P! Jamaica!"

Rufus jumps out of Ron's pocket wearing a dreadlocks wig while shouting "Yah Mon!" Then he starts squeaking something that might be "One Love" as performed by Bob Marley.

"Wrong Kingston, Ron. It's on Lake Ontario, near the St. Lawrence River."

"Oh."

"Come on, Ron."

"Just a minute Kimmie-cub" her father called out.

"Please keep her safe, son" he said to Ron.

"That's my job, dad."

"Let's hope you keep that job a long, long time."

Before Ron could fully digest what he and James said to each other, Kim started yelling again.

"Daddy, you can threaten him with black holes later! We have work to do."

With a nod and a grin, the two men turn. Ron into the waiting helicopter and James Possible into his home.

As their ride takes off, Kim looks at Ron who is fidgeting in his seat and seems to be doing everything he can to not look at her. Finally, Kim forces eye contact and starts to question him.

"Ron, there's something wrong with you. Please, tell me what's going on. Whatever it is, maybe we can work it out."

"Kim, I know we can work it out. But please, I need a little more information. I'm waiting for an opinion from a doctor. Just a few more days, then I should be able to tell you everything, ok?"

"Ok, then head in the game. Here's the latest on the new weather generator. Draken may not have anything to do with it this time. It looks like his cousin Motor Ed stole this one and made a few modifications."

"Motor Ed? Seriously?"

"Don't even start, Ron. Seriously. While I brush up on the schematics, you look over the local police reports." And for the rest of the flight, Kim was all business.

Meanwhile, back at the split level ranch, Anne Possible walks up to her husband at the front door and watches the aircraft fly off over the city.

"Where are they going tonight?"

"Canada, Mr. Lipski has another weather machine."

"Off on another mission. Sigh. I think Kim and Ron are the only two people on Earth who didn't realize that all those missions over the years were actually dates" Anne Possible observed.

"I don't know about that" her husband offered. "I think I did a petty good job deluding myself for the longest time."

Anne could only chuckle in agreement as she leaned on her husband's arm.

"My little Kimmie-cub is nearly grown up."

"It's about time you noticed."

James Possible kissed his wife on her forehead, then turned and looked out the door again, even though the helicopter was long gone.

"Anne, there's a woman we haven't met, yet, who is going to be an important part of our lives."

"What do you know about this strange woman?"

"Well, she has a great husband, a really nice guy. She's smart and strong. Incredibly brave. And very beautiful. It's uncanny how much she resembles her mother."

"Does this amazing woman have a name?"

"Yes. Yes she does. Mrs. Kimberly Stoppable."

"When do we get to meet her?"

"She may not be here officially for several years." Anne looked a little disappointed. "But we'll know very soon if she'll show up at all."

James Possible then pulled the rings from his pocket and gave them to Anne.

"Ron brought those by this afternoon. He was asking for my permission to give them to Kim."

The elegant rings stunned Anne. Then she held her husband close and nuzzled her head into his shoulder. Kim would often hold Ron in much the same way.

Eventually, she asked, "Well, what did you tell him?"

"I gave him his first lesson in being a good husband. I told him I would ask my wife."

- - - - -

_Fin_

_- - - - -_

Author's note: Yes, I know I tend to have the characters speaking more formally and poetically than they would on the show. I just chalk it up to how they view the events in hindsight, 20 to 30 years down the road.

- - - - -

Well, this is my first posted Fan Fic. Did you like it? Can it be improved? Is the rating too high or low? Will a mob of angry villagers armed with torches and pitchforks throw me off the castle walls? This is not necessarily my best story, but at least it's relatively short. I am working on more stories (too many ideas in my head to count, actually). Some one shots and some epic sagas. Don't expect to see anything posted until it's complete. Although, if I can find the time, discipline, and a worthwhile subject, I may begin a serial.


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